Introduction

Think about a conflict in your life. With whom did you disagree? Did you resolve your conflict? If so, how and why? If not, why? Think of a time you formed a positive relationship with someone. How did you connect? Why? 

Conflict is a part of life, but so are compromise, collaboration and unity. Humans, animals, and natural forces have conflicted at time, but also have worked together. Unifying relationships do form. The world would not exist without collaborative relationships. In fact, even within most conflicts, one can also see collaboration. Wars show conflict, but they also show collaboration between comrades. The world exists in part due to the ebb and flow of conflict and collaboration. This ebb and flow can even be seen through nature’s smallest forms, like those of chemical bonds.

Your Quest

Use the Periodic Table as a guide to determine why certain compounds can or cannot mix -- why they either form bonds or remain in conflict. You will have to consider issues such as:

• Why won’t certain compounds or elements bond?
• Why won’t metals bond with each other?
• Why can’t certain compounds be formed?
• How does electrical attraction promote bonding of certain compounds?
• How does physical shape promote bonding between compounds?
• Why do opposite charges attract?
• How does an element's "quest" to become a noble gas dictate its interactions with other elements?

In other words, explore why elements can or cannot simply "just get along." How do they collaborate by bonding? How do they refuse to bond in conflict?